In Zoroastrianism, good transpires for those who do righteous deeds for its own sake, not for the search of reward. [64], Silk Road Seattle believes that Chinese wu practices in the 9th century BCE, which inspired later Taoist beliefs,[65] lost to history might have been inspired by Zoroastrians. There can no longer be any doubt that the Iranian names of Sm, Narmn, etc., that appear in the Persian and Sogdian versions of the Book of the Giants, did not figure in the original edition, written by Mani in the Syriac language, Also known as: Mazdayasna and Behdin (the Good Religion or the Best Religion). Humans bear responsibility for all situations they are in, and in the way they act toward one another. Mithraism is one of the oldest religions, and has influenced many other religions worldwide throughout history. It also led to divisions within the Jewish community, as some Jews opposed adopting Greek culture and ideas. (Caliph Abu Bakr, qtd. [119] Along with these texts is the individual, communal, and ceremonial prayer book called the Khordeh Avesta, which contains the Yashts and other important hymns, prayers, and rituals. [citation needed], For a variety of social and political factors the Zoroastrians of the Indian subcontinent, namely the Parsis and Iranis, have not engaged in conversion since at least the 18th century. Born to a human (virgin mother and divine father) The whole concept of hell and heaven and angles was introduced from Zoroastrianism into Judaism and then Christianity. [2] [3] It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheistic ontology and an eschatology which predicts the ultimate conquest of evil by good. [22], In this schema of asha versus druj, mortal beings (both humans and animals) play a critical role, for they too are created. Though Ahura Mazda has no equal contesting force, Angra Mainyu (destructive spirit/mentality), whose forces are born from Aka Manah (evil thought), is considered to be the main adversarial force of the religion, standing against Spenta Mainyu (creative spirit/mentality). Professor Almut Hintze explores its history and some of the key components of the religion: its beliefs, sacred texts and rituals. Direct link to David's post In other videos, it is sa, Posted 3 years ago. After this, Vohu Manah took him to the other six Amesha Spentas, where he received the completion of his vision. Although the administration of the state was rapidly Islamicized and subsumed under the Umayyad Caliphate, in the beginning "there was little serious pressure" exerted on newly subjected people to adopt Islam. Zoroaster's birth and early life are little documented but speculated upon heavily in later texts. This page was last edited on 28 June 2023, at 10:22. The implicit claim is that the Jews were influenced by the Babylonians, Persians who wouldve been Zoroastrians, then a relatively newly minted religious people. Show that certain religions are better or worse than others, Prove whether a religion is objectively true, Understand the contextual factors that shaped a religion. He is known as Zartosht and Zardosht in Persian and Zaratosht in Gujarati. The gathering of Zoroastrian texts from the provinces started under the Arcasids, The Vendidad, or 'Law against Demons' (a text concerned with purity rites) is considered to have been compiled at this time, The Arcasids generally kept to the tradition of tolerance towards other faiths and were known to govern within the Zoroastrian law of, A single Zoroastrian church was created under the control of Persia, A single canon of Avestan texts was compiled by Ardashir's chief priest and religious propagandist, Tansar, The Gathas was still central to these texts and remained unchanged. Many of us know Darius by. The most significant and important books of this era include the Denkard, Bundahishn, Menog-i Khrad, Selections of Zadspram, Jamasp Namag, Epistles of Manucher, Rivayats, Dadestan-i-Denig, and Arda Viraf Namag. Roads were better, long distance travel was safer, taxes were higher, and oppression was rifer. The maiden leads the dead safely across the bridge, which widens and becomes pleasant for the righteous, towards the House of Song. Their overall name is the Avesta, which has two primary parts. This covenant said that the Jews were God's chosen people, and in exchange they would follow God's laws, and worship only him. [106] While some scholars consider that key concepts of Zoroastrian dualism (good and evil; divine twins Ahura Mazda "God" and Angra Mainyu "Satan"), image of the deity, eschatology, resurrection and final judgment, messianism, revelation of Zoroaster on a mountain with Moses on Mount Sinai, three sons of Fereydun with three sons of Noah, heaven and hell, angelology and demonology, cosmology of six days or periods of creation, free will among others influenced Abrahamic religions, other scholars diminish or reject such influences. [130], Humata, Huxta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds), the Threefold Path of Asha, is considered the core maxim of Zoroastrianism especially by modern practitioners. Now in volume 68 and with a circulation of over 10,000, this international quarterly journal publishes top scholarly articles that cover the full range of world religious traditions together with provocative studies of the methodologies by which these traditions are explored. Read more. Zoroastrianism [a] is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. Zoroastrianism[a] is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. Other Zoroastrian communities either cremate their dead, or bury them in graves that are cased with lime mortar, though Zoroastrians are keen to dispose of their dead in the most environmentally harmless way possible. [44] Zoroastrianism's emphasis on the protection and veneration of nature and its elements has led some to proclaim it as the "world's first proponent of ecology. Mountains will again flatten and valleys will rise; the House of Song will descend to the moon, and the earth will rise to meet them both. Zoroastrianism received a savage blow. Second Temple eschatology has similarities with Zoroastrianism. [86], The 9th century came to define the great number of Zoroastrian texts that were composed or re-written during the 8th to 10th centuries (excluding copying and lesser amendments, which continued for some time thereafter). [55][33] Within Iran, many of the beleaguered Zoroastrians have been also historically opposed or not practically concerned with the matter of conversion. However, "the vast stretch of Jewish and Christian tradition credits" the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, include Genesis) to Mosaic authorship and being written . Shapur I sent priests to locate the scientific text portions of the Avesta that were in the possession of the Greeks. In summary, the magi [or wise men] from the East who came in search of the newborn King of the Jews were priest practitioners of Zoroastrianism or something like it. [citation needed], Due to its ties to the Christian Roman Empire, Persia's arch-rival since Parthian times, the Sassanids were suspicious of Roman Christianity, and after the reign of Constantine the Great, sometimes persecuted it. [123][124], According to later Zoroastrian tradition, when Zoroaster was 30 years old, he went into the Daiti river to draw water for a Haoma ceremony; when he emerged, he received a vision of Vohu Manah. [138], According to the Zoroastrian creation myth, Ahura Mazda existed in light and goodness above, while Angra Mainyu existed in darkness and ignorance below. [25] Ahura Mazda, through these Amesha Spenta, is assisted by a league of countless divinities called Yazatas, meaning "worthy of worship", and each is generally a hypostasis of a moral or physical aspect of creation. Direct link to Charles-Rowland-7's post Were Jews allowed to figh, Posted 6 months ago. [140], The House of Lies is considered temporary and reformative; punishments fit the crimes, and souls do not rest in eternal damnation. Direct link to Vik's post Jews scattered outside of, Posted 3 years ago. [4] Zoroastrianism exalts an uncreated and benevolent deity of wisdom known as Ahura Mazda (lit. Zoroastrian philosophy powerfully influenced post-Exilic Judaism. I recommend watching this video about if Christianity did copied from Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is not entirely uniform in theological and philosophical thought, especially with historical and modern influences having a significant impact on individual and local beliefs, practices, values, and vocabulary, sometimes merging with tradition and in other cases displacing it. By the time of the founding of the Achaemenid Empire, Zoroastrianism is believed to have been already a well-established religion. Currently though, The Council of Tehran Mobeds (the highest ecclesiastical authority within Iran) endorses conversion but conversion from Islam to Zoroastrianism is illegal under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. [120], Middle Persian and Pahlavi works created in the 9th and 10th century contain many religious Zoroastrian books, as most of the writers and copyists were part of the Zoroastrian clergy. Those who do evil are said to be attacked and confused by the druj and are responsible for aligning themselves back to Asha by following this path. By 2008, the birth-to-death ratio was 1:5; 200 births per year to 1,000 deaths. [58][59][60][61] Zoroastrian tradition names Airyanem Vaejah as the home of Zarathustra and the birthplace of the religion. ", " ", "Herodotus, The Histories, Book 1, chapter 131", "Dadestan-i Denig ('Religious Decisions'): Chapters 1-41", "Zoroastrian rituals: Navjote/Sudre-Pooshi (initiation) ceremony", "Herbal life: traditional medicine gets a modern twist in Iran", "MAGIC i. There is a short summary. The evils of this physical world are not products of an inherent weakness, but are the fault of Angra Mainyu's assault on creation. [96] A comparatively minor population persisted in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Persia, and a growing large expatriate community has formed in the United States mostly from India and Iran, and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. own faith. connecting the link between god and man Read more. Survey of the history and contents o", "Ancient Iranian Motifs and Zoroastrian Iconography", "Is The Vandidad a Zarathushtrian Scripture? Alexander of Macedonia defeated Darius III in battle in 331BCE. To celebrate their return, the Jews rebuilt the Temple of Solomon that had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Local Iranian dynasties, "all vigorously Muslim,"[91] had emerged as largely independent vassals of the Caliphs. [160], Communities exist in Tehran, as well as in Yazd, Kerman and Kermanshah, where many still speak an Iranian language distinct from the usual Persian. The founder of Zoroastrianism is a mysterious prophetic figure known as Zarathushtra (or Zoroaster in Greek). 2122. Gherardo Gnoli, Manichaeism: An Overview, in. [citation needed], Scholars and theologians have long debated on the nature of Zoroastrianism, with dualism, monotheism, and polytheism being the main terms applied to the religion. In both instance, these empires forced manythough not allJews to move other regions of the empire. A further 3,500 live in Australia (mainly in Sydney). Posted 6 years ago. Once in control of Judea, the Romans maintained their usual practice of permitting most local traditions to continue. [42] There is also a heavy emphasis on spreading happiness, mostly through charity,[43] and respecting the spiritual equality and duty of both men and women. [177], It is noteworthy that Mani, who was brought up and spent most of his life in a province of the Persian empire, and whose mother belonged to a famous Parthian family, did not make any use of the Iranian mythological tradition. Some historians believe that Zoroastrianism, along with similar philosophical revolutions in South Asia were interconnected strings of reformation against a common Indo-Aryan thread. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Zoroastrian communities still exist in Iran and in India, where they are known as Parsis. In 549 BCE, the Persians, led by Cyrus the Great of the Archaemenian family, overthrew the Median court of Western Iran. It traded goods from Constantinople to Beijing, handed regular defeats to the Roman army and only fell to the Islamic conquests of the 7th century. [165], The surge in Kurdish Muslims converting to Zoroastrianism is largely attributed to disillusionment with Islam after experiencing violence and oppression perpetrated by ISIS in the area. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Because of Mithras association with the sun, the force of life- the god that brings forth light, heat, life, and nature. The Aryan word, meaning male and female warriors, originates by the names of kings in Old Persian Mihr (meaning: love and friendship) both derived from the Iranian/Persian root. Some traditionalists recognize the children of mixed marriages as Zoroastrians, though usually only if the father is a born Zoroastrian. [147][148][133] Traditionally, Zoroastrian rituals have also included shamanic elements involving mystical methods such as spirit travel to the invisible realm and involving the consumption of fortified wine, Haoma, mang, and other ritual aids. Reddit, Inc. 2023. The Zoroastrian festivals are celebrated twice or linked together by six days so they can be celebrated on the traditional day as well as the implemented one. But there were political independence movements, as well as conflicts between rival political factions within Judea. The Persians were ethnically derived from a group of Aryan people who settled in Iran and maintained a cultural identity similar to the Vedic Aryans of India. The Ilm-e-Khshnoom and the Pundol Group are Zoroastrian mystical schools of thought popular among a small minority of the Parsi community inspired mostly by 19th-century theosophy and typified by a spiritual ethnocentric mentality. The further possible influence through Mithraism and Manichaeism is treated in detail. [citation needed], Zoroastrianism itself inherited ideas from other belief systems and, like other "practiced" religions, accommodates some degree of syncretism,[101] with Zoroastrianism in Sogdia, the Kushan Empire, Armenia, China, and other places incorporating local and foreign practices and deities. Indefinite Permanent Link https://hdl.handle.net/2144/34653 The primary purpose of this thesis is to utilize the major scholarly works available in French and English to establish that Judaism and Christianity have been influenced by the ethical religion of Zoroaster. During the Sassanid Empire, Ardeshir ordered Tansar, his high priest, to finish the work that King Valax had started. In practice, despite the doctrine of free choice, Zoroastrians are so constantly involved in a meticulous struggle against the contamination of death and the thousand causes of defilement and against the threat, even in sleep, of ever-present demons that they do not often believe that they are leading their lives freely and morally. [citation needed], Many aspects of Zoroastrianism are present in the culture and mythologies of the peoples of Greater Iran, not least because Zoroastrianism was a dominant influence on the people of the cultural continent for a thousand years. 'Lord of Wisdom') as its supreme being. Known as the Light of the world Zoroastrianism consequently shares elements with the historical Vedic religion that also has its origins in that era. The hag leads the dead down a bridge that narrows to a razor's edge and is full of stench until the departed falls off into the abyss towards the House of Lies. The benevolent powers Mithras would sympathize with human suffering and grant them the final justice of immortality and eternal salvation in the world to come. This caused shock and resentment throughout Iran. Scriptures The scriptures of Zoroastrianism are the major source of knowledge for both the history and theology of the faith. I see this pop-up in my mind every once in a while and online when it comes to subjects. [38], In the Zoroastrian tradition, druj comes from Angra Mainyu (also referred to in later texts as "Ahriman"), the destructive spirit/mentality, while the main representative of Asha in this conflict is Spenta Mainyu, the creative spirit/mentality. [73], Alexander's conquests largely displaced Zoroastrianism with Hellenistic beliefs,[61] though the religion continued to be practiced many centuries following the demise of the Achaemenids in mainland Persia and the core regions of the former Achaemenid Empire, most notably Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus. [134], According to legend, the final savior of the world, known as the Saoshyant, will be born to a virgin impregnated by the seed of Zoroaster while bathing in a lake. In Iran, emigration, out-marriage and low birth rates are likewise leading to a decline in the Zoroastrian population. [13], Iran's figures of Zoroastrians have ranged widely; the last census (1974) before the revolution of 1979 revealed 21,400 Zoroastrians. by Jesus. Direct link to Fernanda Muriedas's post How did Jewdism spread?, Posted 2 years ago. ", "The Jury Is Still Out On Women as Parsi Priests", "A group of 8 Zartoshti women received their Mobedyar Certificate from Anjoman Mobedan in Iran", "Sedreh Pooshi by Female Mobedyar in Toronto Canada", " - ( )", "Zoroastrianism ("Resemblances Between Zoroastrianism and Judaism" and "Causes of Analogies Uncertain")", "AVESTA i. Although having fewer adherents, Manichaeism won the support of many high-ranking . [92], The struggle between Zoroastrianism and Islam declined in the 10th and 11th centuries. per. We had a comment on The Persian background of Iran that needs some comment. Enter your email address and click on Subscribe Button below, to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Zoroastrianism found its popularity in the expansion of the Persian Empire which reached its height around the sixth century BCE. Fire is considered a medium through which spiritual insight and wisdom are gained, and water is considered the source of that wisdom.
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